Sea of Azov

The Sea of Azov is a shallow inland sea in Eastern Europe, connected to the Black Sea through the Kerch Strait and bordered by Ukraine and Russia.

Kerch Strait: A narrow strait linking the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. This is the sea’s sole natural passage to the Black Sea.
Bathymetry: The measurement and description of underwater depth and seabed topography. The sea’s exceptionally shallow bathymetry makes water levels and temperatures change readily.
Taganrog: A Russian port city on the northeastern shore of Taganrog Bay. Its port connects the Don basin and inland trade routes with the sea.
Meotian Swamp: An ancient Greek name for the Sea of Azov and its marshy shores. The classical name evokes the wetlands that characterized the ancient coastal landscape.
Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation: Russia’s 2014 seizure and subsequent incorporation of Crimea, which Ukraine and most states regard as illegal. The annexation changed control over the peninsula adjoining the sea’s outlet.
Don River: A major river in southwestern Russia that flows into the Sea of Azov. Its freshwater and sediment enter the sea through Taganrog Bay.
Salinity: The concentration of dissolved salts in water. River inflow and limited exchange with the Black Sea create strong salinity variation.
Mariupol: A Ukrainian port city on the northern shore of the Sea of Azov. Its harbor has been a major outlet for Ukrainian industry and maritime trade.
Cimmerian Bosporus: The ancient Greek name for the Kerch Strait and the surrounding passage between the Black and Azov seas. Ancient writers used this name for the strait that links the two seas.
Russo-Ukrainian War: An armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine that began in 2014 and expanded into a full-scale invasion in 2022. The war has transformed control, shipping, and civilian life around the Sea of Azov.

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